• Deforestation and Climate Pressures: Deforestation is slowing, but forests are increasingly vulnerable to climate-related stressors like wildfires and pests, leading to significant carbon emissions.
• Innovation Imperatives: Innovations in technology, policy, social engagement, and finance are critical to enhancing forest conservation, restoration, and sustainable use.
• Inclusive and Responsible Approaches: Addressing barriers to innovation and ensuring inclusive, gender-responsive strategies are essential for equitable and effective forest sector advancements.

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The findings offer valuable insights into the potential for increased carbon storage, the impacts of deforestation on biodiversity, and the sensitivity of carbon, timber, and species richness to forest age. The comprehensive analysis of diverse data sources enhances the understanding of global forest carbon dynamics and informs future research and policy development in climate change and forest management.

Highlights

• Global Forests as Carbon Sinks: Global forests consistently absorb around 3.6 Pg C yr−1, offsetting nearly half of fossil-fuel emissions and playing a critical role in mitigating climate change.
• Regional Variations in Carbon Sinks: While temperate and regrowth tropical forests increased their carbon absorption by 30% and 29%, respectively, boreal and intact tropical forests saw decreases of 36% and 31% due to intensified disturbances and deforestation.
• Impact of Deforestation: Two-thirds of the carbon absorption benefits provided by global forests are negated by tropical deforestation, emphasizing the urgent need for effective land management policies to protect these crucial carbon sinks.

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The concept of FLR, articulated through the six principles of the Global Partnership on FLR, underscores the centrality of humans in the restoration process. Humans are integral to the social-ecological systems (SES) where FLR unfolds, influencing and being influenced by forest landscapes through emotional, political, cultural, economic, institutional, and behavioral interactions.

While governments and communities globally have committed to ambitious forest restoration targets, successful initiatives often hinge on understanding and integrating these human dimensions effectively. Yet, there remains a gap in understanding and practical guidance specifically addressing these aspects within the context of FLR.

Key messages

This joint report by IUFRO, WWF, SER, and UNIL addresses this gap by:

1. Exploring the diverse intersections between human dimensions and FLR.
2. Identifying crucial intervention points within human systems to facilitate FLR processes.
3. Providing practical guidance for practitioners, particularly ecologists and foresters, to integrate human dimensions into FLR initiatives.

For practitioners, academics, and decision-makers committed to enhancing FLR outcomes through a holistic approach that incorporates human dynamics, this report serves as a pivotal resource. Download the full report and explore deeper into its findings.

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Among the three largest tropical rainforests globally, only the Congo Basin has remained a strong net carbon sink, absorbing about 0.61 GtCO2e each year (approximately equivalent to Canada’s total GHG emissions annually).  

Although relatively undisturbed compared to other tropical forests, the Congo Basin is at significant risk today, with deforestation and forest degradation increasing quickly. These trends call for protective measures.

Congo Basin countries need to strike a balance between economic growth and natural resource conservation. Additionally, governance and public debt challenges hinder the implementation of regulations or green investments that could protect these forests. 

While several efforts to scale up green finance for forest conservation exist, finance has been largely insufficient to date and does not reflect the ecosystem and climate services it provides. 

Key messages   

This discussion paper, Increasing International Finance Flow to Sustain the Congo Basin’s Forests, proposes six strategies to mobilize public and private finance for sustainable development and forest conservation tailored to the Congo Basin’s characteristics, needs, and priorities:

1. Scaling public finance: Establishing a sustainable forest trust for the Congo Basin. 
2. Increasing fiscal space in Congo Basin countries: Assigning value to the Congo Basin’s natural assets to encourage long-term investments. 
3. Stimulating investments in conservation: Issuing a forest bond linked to new ecosystem payments. 
4. De-risking private investment: Enhancing the use of guarantees in the context of climate finance and green growth. 
5. Investing in pipeline development: Creating an investment and technical assistance facility for environmental markets. 
6. Attracting foreign direct investment: Establishing environmental markets investment promotion agencies in the countries of the Congo Basin. 

Climate Focus developed this discussion paper in collaboration with WWF and the Commission des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale (COMIFAC).  

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The report was written by a group of experts specializing in conservation in Central Africa, with the financial support of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OEACP) and the European Union (EU), through the BIOPAMA and RIOFAC projects, as well as GIZ.

The fact sheet highlights the significant role of these areas in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, emphasizing the overlap with extractive industries and the challenges faced. It also outlines country commitments, international support, and the financial aspects crucial for maintaining these protected areas.

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The report begins by examining the state of the resource, which is increasingly recognized across the world as a forest area crucial for carbon sequestration and for the conservation of biological diversity. The Congo Basin forest ecosystems are then put into perspective within the global context of discussions that can guide the management and governance of the entire world’s tropical forests for decades to come.

The report addresses topical issues such as peatland management and the relationship between the biodiversity management and the emergence or re-emergence of zoonotic diseases. And COVID-19 features notably in the chapter on this topic. Finally, the report identifies the main challenges that need to be addressed to achieve sustainable management of forest ecosystems in the Congo Basin, with the goal of ensuring that management contributes to improving the livelihoods and living environment of local communities and indigenous peoples.

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Close to 90 percent of forest loss is associated with expansion of agriculture, resulting in an urgent need for better solutions to identify and help manage the risk of forest loss associated with commodity supply chains. Traceability and transparency are increasingly called on to help halt and reverse forest loss.

The Traceability and Transparency in Supply Chains for Agricultural and Forest Commodities Report shows that despite the rapid progress seen to date in developing traceability and transparency solutions, key challenges and data gaps remain. It also examines what is needed to ensure that initiatives, tools and policies are set up for success.

The report aims to inform collaborative action among governments, the private sector, and civil society organizations that are working toward enhancing traceability and transparency. It focuses on seven commodities: cattle, palm oil, soy, cocoa, timber, coffee, and rubber, but also offers insights applicable to other commodities.

Key Findings

• Independent verification is necessary for traceability systems to be credible. Definitions need to be applied consistently.
• Governments should provide an adequately resourced policy environment that facilitates traceability and transparency within the challenges of complex supply chains. Investments are rarely one-off since continued funding is usually needed. Approaches to traceability and transparency must consider the needs of smallholders to be effective.
• Data gaps remain, especially where there is a large smallholder component, but equally important is ensuring that data are accessible and usable. Investments are needed to help close these gaps.
• Despite gaps, there is enough existing data and information for supply chain actors to take meaningful steps toward assessing the risk of forest loss in supply chains, and to prioritize areas for action.

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In the recent book Power Dynamics in African Forests: The Politics of Global Sustainability, authors Symphorien Ongolo and Max Krott explore the historical and current challenges of forestland governance in Africa, emphasizing the power dynamics between actors involved in resource exploitation and biodiversity conservation policies. It investigates the intersection of global sustainability agendas with domestic politics in Africa, revealing how actors in forest-rich countries employ complex informal strategies to resist the dominance of powerful global environmental players.

Tahina Roland, a young Malagasy agronomist and GLF 2023 Drylands Restoration Steward is the author of chapter 9 titled Linking Institutional Weaknesses to Deforestation Drivers in the Governance of Protected Areas in Madagascar.

In his article, Tahina investigates the persistence of deforestation in Menabe-Antimena, one of Madagascar’s significant protected areas (PAs). While the expansion of PA networks is a key focus of conservation efforts, effective management is crucial for biodiversity preservation. Using the Institutional Analysis and Development framework, the study reveals that inadequate funding for PA managers, insufficient alternatives for farmers, and a focus on enforcing laws against farmers rather than private sector operators contribute to deforestation for cash crop cultivation. The PA’s limited integration into regional economic and governance priorities further hampers conservation efforts, making shifting cultivation an attractive option for local communities, while regional authorities struggle to protect the area from the cash crop industry driving deforestation.

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About the FOLUR Annual Meeting

The FOLUR Impact Program brought together over 100 country projects and core partners in São Paulo, Brazil, to discuss topics surrounding land restoration and sustainable value chain implementation over the course of four days.

In this video, the GLF’s Eden Flaherty sits down with Valentine Ebua, Forest Lead, Africa Restoration Director, Conservation International.

Learn more about the FOLUR Impact Program

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